Shailu Suresh’s simple Ayurvedic recipes to boost immunity and a healthy digestive system

Consume the following on a daily basis: • Cumin seeds aids digestion. Sip warm water boiled with cumin seeds throughout the day (¼ tsp per litre of water).

• Boil ¼ cup fresh cow’s milk with ¼ tsp of black pepper powder and 1/8 tsp turmeric powder for a daily bedtime drink.

• Boil ¼ tsp liquorice powder, 1-2 cloves, 2-3 crushed black pepper, ¼ inch cinnamon stick, ½ inch grated ginger, 1-2 cardamoms and 5-6 tulsi (holy basil) leaves, in 500ml of water until it reduces to 150ml. Consume this within a day over 2-4 doses.

Adds Talya Lutzker, certified Ayurvedic practitioner and founder of Ayurveda Every Day With Talya, “According to Ayurvedic medicine, food can and should be seen as treatment for what ails you. Food is transformed into vital life-force energy and with just a bit of planning, you can transform most meals into an immune-boosting reality.” Lutzker counts common Ayurvedic superfoods to include ghee, turmeric, coriander, ginger, tulsi, kombu and herbs like ashwagandha, shatavari and astragalus root.

She continues, “Immunity is intricately linked to digestion. You can't nurture great digestion or immunity without optimal nutrition that heals and nourishes the gut. What you digest is what matters, so your nutrition should be geared to what your body needs right now. Make it a practice to continuously check in with how you feel and base your daily nutrition on what you feel. What you metabolise is what feeds your immune system first and foremost, so ensure you're giving it lots of energising nutrition regularly.” In fact, Lutzker’s favourite Ayurvedic wellness mantra is,

‘In this moment, what do I need?’